We’re working hard to avert doctors’ strike – FG

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Friday, January 3rd, 2014

Kayode Adelowokan, Lagos

Delta state Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan has said that the Federal Government and stakeholders in the health sector would work hard to avert the January 6th industrial action by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA).

NMA had embarked on a 5-day warning strike last year as part of ways to press home its demands and get the attention of the government.

The Delta state governor, who is also a member of the NMA, attended a stakeholders’ meeting in the State House on Thursday, January 2, 2014, which was chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan to find ways of meeting the demands of the union.

Speaking to State House Correspondents after the meeting, Uduaghan said Mr. President had consented to some of the issues raised by the medical union, adding that it would be disastrous for the doctors to be allowed to embark on a full scale strike action.

He also announced that he and other stakeholders would meet the union by 5pm on Thursday, January 2, 2014, to table the President’s message and convince them to shelve the strike action.

“There are issues that have been raised by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) for which they have threatened to strike. They had a warning strike for about five days, so the President called a stakeholders meeting to look at the issues. We are going for a meeting now at 5pm with the NMA, at least, there are some things the President has consented to and I believe by the time we finish the meeting this evening, there will be some resolutions.

“Our determination is to ensure that that strike of January 6 is averted. Of course we cannot afford another strike in the medical sector. One minute of strike in the health sector by whatever body can be very disastrous.”

The Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu and his counterpart in Labour, Emeka Wogu were also part of the meeting.

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